That is terrible news! I'm surprised G1 stuff survived for this long but BW originals are gone? Who knows but only time will tell....

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It's not a surprise at all, it's the function of the production process used. G1 was animated traditionally, using physical cells and real film. The cells were probably thrown into boxes and put in storage. The original film reels as well. There's theoretically no limit to the achievable resolution when scanning physical film reels for digital of course at since point you get very noticeable grain, depending on the quality of film used.

The problem is that the TV series reels were pre-correction, corrected stuff is of much lower quality.

Beast Wars, on the other hand, was produced entirely digitally. The resolution of the final render is one of the primary determinants for the render time, back in the mid-to-date nineties rendering in higher resolutions was simply not feasible for a rather small company as mainframe, if they did that, making the series would've taken much longer. The rendering resolution is what we get.

As for storage, hard drive storage space was much, much more expensive back then I imagine they kept old files only for a limited amount of time. Of course there are other solutions, like very slow speed tape drives but I bet they didn't seen it necessary. Plus, there are all kinds of hardware failures that might've destroyed the files, and with the series having ended and the brand moving to imported Japanese cartoons, I bet neither Mainframe nor Hasbro saw any reason to keep the original resource files.

A pity, rendering a 4k version of the show with no changes would've probably been very fast on modern hardware. Provided that there would be rendering programs running on these systems compatible with all these old files.

Transformers toy lines are an exercise in reinvention. Rather than just more of the same kinds of figures being created, different gimmicks are introduced to keep things fresh and so characters can reappear throughout the years in new bodies. G1 kicked this off all those years ago. Instead of just creating more vehicles that turned into robots, gimmicks like Targetmasters, Headmasters and Action Masters were introduced, amongst many others, in a quest to keep kids entertained.

Beast Wars was no different (in fact the entire genesis of the series was just Kenner's way of reimagining Transformers as a whole). It began with purely organic beast-modes. Instead of producing more in this vein, they gave way to Transmetals with robotic beast-modes and Fuzors with beas-modes made up of two animals, and then the haphazard mixing of organic and robotic with Transmetal 2's. The overarching theme was always about the beast element, but as the series went on, it was about finding new ways to do it.

Although originating outside of Beast Wars, the Mutants fit with this idea, turning from beast to beast.

Design-wise, Beast Machines trod a sort of middle-ground between Transmetals and Transmetal 2's. Organic elements in both modes (instead of just one like Transmetals), but a smoother blending of them (instead of the rough merging like Transmetal 2's).

But before we'd got to Beast Machines, were there any other potential variations that could have been explored? I can think of one possibility, and it's not unprecedented in Transformers.

Cyborgs: Organic beast-modes with robotic enhancements.

Despite being designed as Pretenders, Carnivac, Catilla, Chainclaw and Snarler all had organic beast-modes with armour and weapons strapped to them. Beast Wars II also dabbled with the idea with Thrustor, Dirgegun, Hellscream and Max-B.

It was a war, and they were beasts. Being able to fight (and shoot) in both modes would have been advantageous (once the whole robots in disguise thing was abandoned).

I'm aware there is a V3 MP Prime on its way, and a MPM Prime, there is no V4 MP Prime.

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They all transform into a red and blue truck. Both have a very similar robot mode. With the rear section forming mostly the legs, and the front section forming mostly the arms and body. With the windows forming the chest.

It's close enough to being the same character, toy wise. How much closer do you need them to be?

It's not a surprise at all, it's the function of the production process used. G1 was animated traditionally, using physical cells and real film. The cells were probably thrown into boxes and put in storage. The original film reels as well. There's theoretically no limit to the achievable resolution when scanning physical film reels for digital of course at since point you get very noticeable grain, depending on the quality of film used.

The problem is that the TV series reels were pre-correction, corrected stuff is of much lower quality.

Beast Wars, on the other hand, was produced entirely digitally. The resolution of the final render is one of the primary determinants for the render time, back in the mid-to-date nineties rendering in higher resolutions was simply not feasible for a rather small company as mainframe, if they did that, making the series would've taken much longer. The rendering resolution is what we get.

As for storage, hard drive storage space was much, much more expensive back then I imagine they kept old files only for a limited amount of time. Of course there are other solutions, like very slow speed tape drives but I bet they didn't seen it necessary. Plus, there are all kinds of hardware failures that might've destroyed the files, and with the series having ended and the brand moving to imported Japanese cartoons, I bet neither Mainframe nor Hasbro saw any reason to keep the original resource files.

A pity, rendering a 4k version of the show with no changes would've probably been very fast on modern hardware. Provided that there would be rendering programs running on these systems compatible with all these old files.

As far as beasts are concerned, I would rewrite/ add to the cannon with a story line around the time +/- of the original 13. A time when Cybertron hosted its own version of "natural life forms" they could be tech and/ or organic. Perhaps something like the predacons from TF Prime. Hinting at the evolution of the Cybertonians that would one day become Autobots and Decepticons.

It might work better as a history channel style documentary series or Class room curriculum used to teach young cybertornians in the current age thus creating a dual story line. It would probably kill in the Japanese market. Possibly even re-purposing the whole Inuyasha concept of cross time, daily bs and how serious stuff was back in the day.

Transformers toy lines are an exercise in reinvention. Rather than just more of the same kinds of figures being created, different gimmicks are introduced to keep things fresh and so characters can reappear throughout the years in new bodies. G1 kicked this off all those years ago. Instead of just creating more vehicles that turned into robots, gimmicks like Targetmasters, Headmasters and Action Masters were introduced, amongst many others, in a quest to keep kids entertained.

Beast Wars was no different (in fact the entire genesis of the series was just Kenner's way of reimagining Transformers as a whole). It began with purely organic beast-modes. Instead of producing more in this vein, they gave way to Transmetals with robotic beast-modes and Fuzors with beas-modes made up of two animals, and then the haphazard mixing of organic and robotic with Transmetal 2's. The overarching theme was always about the beast element, but as the series went on, it was about finding new ways to do it.

Although originating outside of Beast Wars, the Mutants fit with this idea, turning from beast to beast.

Design-wise, Beast Machines trod a sort of middle-ground between Transmetals and Transmetal 2's. Organic elements in both modes (instead of just one like Transmetals), but a smoother blending of them (instead of the rough merging like Transmetal 2's).

But before we'd got to Beast Machines, were there any other potential variations that could have been explored? I can think of one possibility, and it's not unprecedented in Transformers.

Cyborgs: Organic beast-modes with robotic enhancements.

Despite being designed as Pretenders, Carnivac, Catilla, Chainclaw and Snarler all had organic beast-modes with armour and weapons strapped to them. Beast Wars II also dabbled with the idea with Thrustor, Dirgegun, Hellscream and Max-B.

It was a war, and they were beasts. Being able to fight (and shoot) in both modes would have been advantageous (once the whole robots in disguise thing was abandoned).

Does anyone else have any ideas on other variations on the theme?

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They can always aim to do mythical creatures since aside from dragons we rarely get them in any shape or form except maybe Blot who's an Ogre/Troll so it'd be a good way to expand more on that theme for beast formers.

They can always aim to do mythical creatures since aside from dragons we rarely get them in any shape or form except maybe Blot who's an Ogre/Troll so it'd be a good way to expand more on that theme for beast formers.

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what if the default bipedal modes were organic but the altmodes weren't

It's close enough to being the same character, toy wise. How much closer do you need them to be?

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By that reckoning Gandalf and Dumbledore are the same character, Robin Hood and The Green Arrow...same guy, Skeletor and the Grim Reaper.. Meh same difference. Dutch from Predator and The Terminator...both robots from the future, it just wasn't spelled out in Predator. Looking similar does not make you the same person, it's ludicrous to even suggest it .Talk to any set of identical twins and they'll tell you it's so. G1 Optimus Prime and Movie Optimus Prime are too VERY distict different characters. They may share a voice actor and both be autobot leaders that transform into trucks but they are not the same guy. FACT. For a starts one's considerably more murdery.

MP1, MP10 and this new forthcoming MP Convoy are versions 1, 2 and 3 of G1 Optimus Prime. MPM4 is the first and only MP version of Movie Optimus Prime.. There no V4 of either of them.

Transformers toy lines are an exercise in reinvention. Rather than just more of the same kinds of figures being created, different gimmicks are introduced to keep things fresh and so characters can reappear throughout the years in new bodies. G1 kicked this off all those years ago. Instead of just creating more vehicles that turned into robots, gimmicks like Targetmasters, Headmasters and Action Masters were introduced, amongst many others, in a quest to keep kids entertained.

Beast Wars was no different (in fact the entire genesis of the series was just Kenner's way of reimagining Transformers as a whole). It began with purely organic beast-modes. Instead of producing more in this vein, they gave way to Transmetals with robotic beast-modes and Fuzors with beas-modes made up of two animals, and then the haphazard mixing of organic and robotic with Transmetal 2's. The overarching theme was always about the beast element, but as the series went on, it was about finding new ways to do it.

Although originating outside of Beast Wars, the Mutants fit with this idea, turning from beast to beast.

Design-wise, Beast Machines trod a sort of middle-ground between Transmetals and Transmetal 2's. Organic elements in both modes (instead of just one like Transmetals), but a smoother blending of them (instead of the rough merging like Transmetal 2's).

But before we'd got to Beast Machines, were there any other potential variations that could have been explored? I can think of one possibility, and it's not unprecedented in Transformers.

Cyborgs: Organic beast-modes with robotic enhancements.

Despite being designed as Pretenders, Carnivac, Catilla, Chainclaw and Snarler all had organic beast-modes with armour and weapons strapped to them. Beast Wars II also dabbled with the idea with Thrustor, Dirgegun, Hellscream and Max-B.

It was a war, and they were beasts. Being able to fight (and shoot) in both modes would have been advantageous (once the whole robots in disguise thing was abandoned).

These bad boys turned up today. I have them both already but the ones I have at home are either damaged or missing a few pieces. The legs and antennae on my old Waspinator are a right mess. So it's nice these two specimens are in such good condition.

These bad boys turned up today. I have them both already but the ones I have at home are either damaged or missing a few pieces. The legs and antennae on my old Waspinator are a right mess. So it's nice these two specimens are in such good condition.

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I know how you feel. my waspinator has a stress mark on his antenna. I just pretend its not there